1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium comprising a nonmagnetic support and a magnetic recording layer.
2. Description of Prior Art
A magnetic recording medium has been widely used as a tape for recording music (i.e., an audio tape), a video tape and a floppy disc. The magnetic recording medium basically comprises a nonmagnetic support and a magnetic recording layer provided on the support, and the magnetic recording layer comprises a binder and a ferromagnetic powder dispersed therein.
The magnetic recording medium is desired to show high levels in various properties such as electromagnetic conversion characteristics, running endurance and running property. Particularly, the recording medium is desired to show excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics. For example, an audio tape is required to have high reproducibility of original sounds, and a video tape is required to have high reproducibility of an original image. Such high electromagnetic conversion characteristics is desired particularly in the case of using an 8 mm type video tape recorder.
It is known that the electromagnetic conversion characteristics of the magnetic recording medium using a ferromagnetic powder greatly varies depending upon dispersibility (or dispersed condition) of the ferromagnetic powder in the magnetic recording layer. In more detail, even if a ferromagnetic powder having excellent magnetic property is used for the purpose of enhancing the electromagnetic conversion characteristics of the resulting medium, the excellent magnetic property of the ferromagnetic powder is not reflected on the enhancement of the electromagnetic conversion characteristics when the ferromagnetic powder is poorly dispersed in the recording layer.
For improving the dispersibility of the ferromagnetic powder in the magnetic recording layer, there has been utilized a method of kneading or dispersing the ferromagnetic powder for a long period of time in the preparation of a magnetic paint for forming a magnetic recording layer. However, such longtime kneading or dispersing causes deterioration of the magnetic property of the ferromagnetic powder, and therefore a measure of incorporating a polar group into a resin component for forming a binder of a recording layer is recently utilized so as to make the binder show a favorable affinity for the ferromagnetic powder.
For example, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 59(1984)-5424 discloses a magnetic recording medium in which a resin component having a specific polar group such as a sulfonic acid metal salt group is employed in an amount of not less than 50 wt.% as a binder of the magnetic recording layer using a ferromagnetic metal powder of needle shape having a coercive force (Hc) of not less than 1000 Oe and a specific surface area (S-BET) of not less than 45 m.sup.2 /g (determined according to a BET method). By employing such resin having a specific polar group as a resin component of the binder, a magnetic recording medium in which the ferromagnetic powder is well dispersed in the magnetic recording layer can be prepared, and the resulting medium is highly improved in the electromagnetic conversion characteristics.